The Chicks Are Coming! (Actually they are HERE!)

A Chick Is Born!
While in the process of putting this blog together, our first chick was born.  By the time that I publish this blog tomorrow, I'm sure we will have many more chicks.  But here is a picture and a super short video of our first-born.

Here is the first chick cracking through its shell 
and into the world!

It tries its best to stand up on wobbly legs.  It must stay in the incubator for 24 hours before being put into the brooder box

Which came first the chickens or the Chick Hatching Show?  

Before the arrival of the incubator and eggs, the first grade enjoyed a chick hatching show put on by Mrs. P. of the Science Center.  The show was a preview into what will happen in our very own classrooms. 


Here are a few photos of the chick hatching show held last week:

First graders hold up models of eggs from birds both living and extinct (Evan holds up the extinct Elephant Bird egg)

Ms. P. explains the parts of the egg.

Ms. P.  shows a model of the inside of a chicken.

Mrs. P. explains the difference between a hen and a rooster.

A first grader from another class models how a chicken lays eggs.

...and how the hen keeps her eggs warm.

                         How many days does it take for a chick to incubate?

Mrs. P. introduces the Incubator.

She shows us the inside of an incubator...

...and the outside of the incubator

Nora demonstrates the comb and waddle of the chicken.

Introducing the star of our show... Mr. Rooster!

Back at the classroom, Mrs. P. puts eggs into our classroom incubators.

We have seven eggs in our incubator,
waiting to hatch!

The students begins writing down observations of the eggs in their chick journals.

After they write in their paper journals, they take a picture with their i-Pad and write in their electronic chick journal too.

Happy New Year!

Rocketing Into 2013

I hope you all had a restful and healthy holiday break. We are now teaching about the season of winter and will soon blast off to distant planets to learn about our Solar System. At he end of our study we will be going to the Museum of Science on February 13th. You will soon get a permission slip for this field trip (not to be confused for the permission slip that you have recently returned for our theater trip to see Click, Clack, Moo).

IMPORTANT Dates for January/February:

January 21st: No School MLK Day

February 13: Field Trip to the Museum of Science

February 18-22 No School February Break

Now Your Child Can Do ST Math at Home!

In the next homework packet, please look for a letter informing you of how you can get onto the ST Math site at home.  This is purely voluntary so please don't worry if you do not have computer access at home.  The children love it and it's a fun way for them to get more math practice at home.  Since the children all progress at their own rate in this program, the lessons I've opened up to your children to do at home may be new to them or ones that they have already finished at school.  Either way, they can have fun with JiJi the Penguin. I will open up new lessons as the year progresses.  The letter which you will receive states that your child has been using the ST Math software program at Pine Glen Elementary, but this is only because the Burlington license for ST Math is through Pine Glen.

The letter will contain the username and password for ST Math, along with directions on how to set up this program at home. Any computer or tablet can be used. If you have any questions, please call or contact me at farmer@bpsk12.org

School ID: PIN050
Password: H6JZ5D74

Reading Class Changes

Some of you may have received a letter stating that your child has been moved to another reading classroom. If so, know that your child is being placed in the classroom which will work on the skills that your child is ready to learn! All these changes are positive and in your child's best interest. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me or your child's new reading teacher.

Fun On the Polar Express!

Here are some photos from the Polar Express trip the first grade made n December 21st. It was a fun day!

Building Our Reading Rocket

Here are some photos of Room 111 building our "Reading Rocket." This rocket will be a fun escape for any child looking for a relaxing, quiet place to read a book.

December Holidays, Celebrations and Special Dates

Shedding Lights on the Holidays

Our next unit of study in the classroom will focus on holiday celebrations around the world.  Since many holidays this year are celebrated through the use of light, the children will learn about the significance of light in these various celebrations.  Students will be introduced to the light celebrations of Divali, Hanukkah, Christmas and Eid.  They will also learn about the winter solstice -- the first day of winter and the shortest day of the year due to its lack of sunlight.


Fairy tales, folk tales and fables from around the world will be another area of study.  Many versions of some familiar tales will also be introduced. We have also planned a very special visit from Cinderella and Prince Charming!  The kids are going to write letters to their favorite fairy tale characters for Cinderella to deliver.  The characters will then write back to the children.  Very exciting.

Special Holiday Happenings for December!

Mark Your Calendars:

Monday, December 3rd:  Parent-Teacher Conferences.  No school for children.  If you have not yet made a conference time with your child's reading teacher, please do so.

Week of December 10th  -- each day this week, the entire first grade will rotate to each of the five classrooms during our Social Studies time to learn about the five different holidays celebrated this season: Hanukkah, Christmas, Divali, and Eid.  Ask your children to share with you what was similiar in how each of the holidays were celebrated when you get the chance.  It promises to be a fun and informative week!

Friday, December 21st -- Polar Express/Pajama Day:  Be sure to send your child in wearing their pajamas on this day!  (Please send in a change of clothes for outside recess.)  We will evoke the mood of The Polar Express by reading the story as the students sip on hot chocolate and nibble on cookies.  In order to be sensitive to allergy needs, we are asking that each parent please send in a special treat which they can have during this time.  We will provide the hot chocolate unless you would prefer another beverage to be served to your child at this time. Please just send it into school and I will be sure that your child receives what (s)he needs.


Introducing:  Butterscotch the Hamster!

Want to Butterscotch to Visit Your Home?

Butterscotch will need a home over holiday breaks and weekends.  You will be provided with all of the necessary supplies, food and instructions.  If you are interested in taking Butterscotch home, please e-mail me at farmer@bpsk12.org and let me know if you are willing to take him for a weekend or the following school breaks: Winter Break, February break, April break.  Your name will be put into a rotation and you will be notified prior to the date to confirm that you can or cannot take Fluffy for that particular weekend or week.  Thanks!

Here a few photos of when Ms. P. from the Science Center came to deliver Butterscotch to our class:

Ms. P. talks about the importance of food and water.

Moses fills the first water bottle for Butterscotch

Here's our Gang in Costume from Halloween

Want to Order Scholastic Books For your Child?

Next Deadline Ordering Date:  December 9th

Online Ordering Information
Website Address: www.scholastic.com/books
Class Activation Code: HBMDK

Find the perfect books for your child through Scholastic's NEW online Book Club Web site.  Choose from  much wider selection of books than in the printed flyer.  Plus, you can send your orders directly to me online and use your credit/debit card to pay.

Best of all, we earn a FREE book for the classroom library every time a parent places an order online.

Its so simple!  Here's how it works:

SIGN UP at www.scholastic.com/booksclubs.  On the parent page, register by clicking the "Don't have a user name or password?" link.  When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code shown above.  This unique code ensures that your order is sent to me.
Select the books you'd like to order -- choose from thousands of titles -- many more than in our monthly flyers.
Send your order to me online by the due date and your child's books will be delivered directly to my classroom.  Ordering online is fast, easy and secure.

See for yourself how convenient it is to order online.

100 Sight Words to Practice at Home

At the right, you will find a link to the 100 sight words all first graders must know.  Please click on the link entitled 100 Sight Words for the list of these 100 sight words.  Print out this page and practice 5-10 words a night.

The more sight words children know, the better readers they become.  Sight words are words that frequently appear in print which often cannot be sounded out.  The same words are among those used most frequently by children in their writing.  When children build their sight word vocabulary, they become both better readers and spellers.